SPORTING.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1665, 21 June 1879, Page 3

SPORTING.

SPORTING NOTES. By Sinbad. The Waimate Steeplechase meeting, which came off last Week, scarcely seems to have been so successful as usual. For some reason the Willow Bridge course, which is perhaps the b?st steeplechase country in New Zealand, was not available, and the one selected by the committee was rough. This may perhaps account for the indifferent jumping of the majority of the performers, moat of whom seemed to have refused moat persistently. Agent again showed how very superior he is to the rest of our cross-country animals, for he repeated his Grand National performance by landing the double for Mr Butler. Eight saddled up to oppose him for the big handicap, but after the first half mile his only attendants were Harkaway and Ivanhoe, and, shaking those off when he pleased, the chesnut won with ridiculous ease. Loch Lomond, who should have been handier at the finish, was, it appears, thrown out in two races by the refusal of the Lad. Six went to the post for the Maiden Plate, which was won in a canter by Silvorstream ; the others all refusing. Only four came out to meet the Agent in the weight for age race, which followed, and as these all folowed the example of the Maiden Plate performers, Mr Butler’s horse had it all his own way from start to finish. Seven weighed out for the Consolation, which went to Mr Mclvor by the aid of Loch Lomond. Loyalty and Ivanhoe were respectively second and third. In this race, I am sorry for Lis owner’s sake, to see Sunrise broke his back, and had to he immediately destroyed. From Australian nominations it will be seen that Fishhook and Templeton are ordered for rha Sydney Metropolitan, in addition to the Melbourne Cup. Le Loup has not been nominated for the former event, but he is engaged in the Melbourne Champion Race and Cup. R Mclvor left for Wanganui on Saturday with Loch Lomond and Grey Mcmas. A Hunt Club has been formed in Dunedin, and a large number of names already given in, Mr Hunt was elected honorary secretary. By late English telegrams it appears that the Ascot Cup went to Mr F. Gretton with the aid of Isonomy, the Count de Legrange . and Lord Rosebery running second and third with Insulaire and Touchet respectively. Isonomy started only once as a three-year-, old, in the Cambridgeshire Stakes, which he won easily, carrying 7st 11b, and being quoted in the betting at 40 to 1. This year he ran second to the American horse Parole in the Newmarket Handicap, giving him two years and 41b. Commenting on the running horses of the ■eaaon, “Vigilant,” of .“The Sportsman,” writes as follows on Parole :—“ Parole is a gelding by Leamington, whom all the old turfmen in this country knew so well before he was imported to America. Like his sire, Parole is a brown, but not so big or so lengthy. He is not a large-honed horse, but true in his formation, and wiry-looking on tho very best of legs and feet. He still wears a lot of his winter coat, and I do not think we saw him at his best, for he only came over in the autumn, and as yet the sun has scarcely shown on his jacket, which he will shell off when he gallops on the spring daisies. Then we shall see him a handsome, blood-like, and thoroughly sound horse. His trainer, William Brown, evidently knows his . business, and he has, I perceive, a very gcoti assistant as ‘ head master ’ in the adventurous Robert Arber, a Newmarket-bred ’un7">&>LJPffi.e years T g a w in Count Lagrange’s stal/c” at” Soyaliieu • strapping Alaric before the latter came to England. Arber appears to have been engaged to tend horses in rough voyages across the Atlantic, but for the past five years he has been domiciled in America, and in the employment of Mr Lorillard, with whose horses ho returned to England last autumn.” Peter, who was disqualified for tho Two Thousand Guineas and Derby by the death of General Peel, has been sold to a Mr Best for £4OOO. I see the aged Gazelle, who ran in the first meeting of the Grand National Steeplechase Club, held in Christchurch, has been distinguishing himself in his old age by winning a Maiden Plate on the flat at Opunaki. At the same meeting an Orange Lightning was returned as a winner in the Hurdle Race, Another instance of un-originality in nomenclature. A general meeting of the North Canterbury Jockey Club was held at Rangiora on Tuesday, when a very satisfactory balancesheet was brought up and adopted. A committee was appointed to effect improvements on the course. WANGANUI STEEPLECHASES. [By Telegraph.] WANGANUI, June 20. Tho Wanganui Steeplechase meeting was held to-day, but in consequence of the weather being wet, there was only a thin attendance. Handicap Steeplechase, .£175, about three miles. Mr Douglas’ b g Baron, aged, list 1 Grey Momus, 12st 71b 2 Loch Lomond, lOst 91b 3 Medora 10st 51b, Ottawa 10st 121 b, Gazelle 10at, Awahau list 71b, and Victor list 101 b, also ran. The Don was scratched. Medora, Momus, and Gazelle made the running, Ottawa jumping well until he came to grief at tho brick wall, and was not persevered with, as his stable companion, Grey Momus, seemed sure to win, but he parted company with his jockey in the gorse hedge, leaving Gazelle and Medora to fight it out. The two came along at a rattling pace, and Gazelle fell at the last jump, but was quickly remounted. Medora passed the post first, Gazelle second, and "Baron third. The latter had fallen twice during the race, but Munn let his head go, and was always up’and going without delay. A protest was lodged against the first for not going the specified course, which after investigation, was upheld and tho stakes awarded to Bai’on. Tho rest were nowhere. Maiden Steeplechase, of £75; same course ; weight for age. Mr Biggie’s b g Gazelle, aged, 12st 31b (Edwards) 1 Mr Douglas’ b m Abbess, aged, 12st 31b ... 2 Mr Douglas’ b g Baron, aged, 12st 31b ... 3 Little Thought Of, Arbitrator, and Maori Boy also ran. Romney, Loch Lomond, Ottawa, and The Don were scratched. Gazelle made the running, closely attended by Abbess, who ran very gamely for a couple of miles, but the superior condition told its talc, and Gazelle won easily at the last, Baron an indifferent third, the others beaten off. Consolation Steeplechase of £3O. One and a half miles. Mr Mclvor’s Loch Lomond 1 Mr Mclvor’s Grey Momus 2 Mr Biggie’s Awahau 3 Awahau took tho lead, and led all tho way until the last obstacle had been safely negotiated, when Mclvor’s pair, which had been waiting on the loader, challenged him, and took ap the running, Loch Lomond winning by a head. Handicap Trot of £2O. Three miles. Mr Biggie’s g m Little Nell, 400 yds ... 1 Mr PeU’s b m Diamond, 490 yds 2 Several others started, but nothing else was in it but the above two, who went along at a good pace, Diamond leading until entering the straight, when Little Nell spurted and passed her, winning cleverly.